Colubridae
A colubrid (from Latin coluber, snake) is a member of the snake family Colubridae. This broad classification of snakes includes about two-thirds of all snake species on earth. Colubrid species are found on every continent except Antarctica.Cogger, H.G. & Zweifel, R.G. (ed's) Bauer, Aaron M. 1998. Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. Academic Press. San Diego. pp188–195 Description While most colubrids are nonvenomous (or have venom that is not known to be harmful to humans) and are mostly harmless, a few groups, such as genus Boiga, can produce medically significant bites, while the boomslang, the twig snakes and the Asian genus Rhabdophis have caused human fatalities.Bruna Azara, C. 1995. Animales venenosos. Vertebrados terrestres venenosos peligrosos para el ser humano en España. Bol. SEA, 11: 32-40 Some colubrids are described as opisthoglyphous, meaning they have elongated, grooved teeth located in the back of the upper jaw. The opisthoglyphous dentition appears at least two times in the history of snakes. These are unlike those of vipers and elapids, which are located in the front. Classification The Colubridae are not a natural or monophyletic group, as many are more closely related to other groups, such as elapids, than to each other.Lawson, R; Slowinski, J.B.; Crother, B.I.; Burbrink, F.T. 2005. Phylogeny of the Colubroidea (Serpentes): New evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 37:581–601 This family has classically been a garbage bin taxon for snakes that do not fit elsewhere.Fry, B.G.; Vidal, N.; van der Weerd, L.; Kochva, E.; Renjifo, C. 2009. Evolution and diversification of the Toxicofera reptile venom system. Journal of Proteomics 72:127–136 Ongoing research, hopefully, will sort out the relations within this group. Subfamily Boodontinae *''Bothrolycus'' *''Bothrophthalmus'' *''Buhoma'' (tentatively placed here) *''Chamaelycus'' *''Dendrolycus'' *''Dipsina'' *''Dromophis'' *''Duberria'' (tentatively placed here) *''Gonionotophis'' *''Grayia'' *''Hormonotus'' *''Lamprophis'' *''Lycodonomorphus'' *''Lycophidion'' *''Macroprotodon'' *''Mehelya'' *''Montaspis'' (tentatively placed here) *''Pseudaspis'' *''Pseudoboodon'' *''Pythonodipsas'' *''Scaphiophis'' Subfamily Calamariinae *''Calamaria'' *''Calamorhabdium'' *''Collorhabdium'' *''Etheridgeum'' *''Macrocalamus'' *''Pseudorabdion'' *''Rabdion'' Subfamily Colubrinae - nearly 100 genera Subfamily Dipsadinae *''Adelphicos'' *''Amastridium'' *''Atractus'' *''Calamodontophis'' (tentatively placed here) *''Carphophis'' (tentatively placed here) *''Chersodromus'' *''Coniophanes'' *''Contia'' (tentatively placed here) *''Crisantophis'' (tentatively placed here) *''Cryophis'' *''Diadophis'' (tentatively placed here) *''Diaphorolepsis'' (tentatively placed here) *''Dipsas'' *''Echinanthera'' (tentatively placed here) *''Emmochliophis'' (tentatively placed here) *''Enuliophis'' (tentatively placed here) *''Enulius'' (tentatively placed here) *''Eridiphas'' *''Geophis'' *''Gomesophis'' (tentatively placed here) *''Hydromorphus'' (tentatively placed here) *''Hypsiglena'' *''Imantodes'' *''Leptodeira'' *''Ninia'' *''Nothopsis'' (tentatively placed here) *''Pliocercus'' *''Pseudoleptodeira'' *''Pseudotomodon'' (tentatively placed here) *''Ptychophis'' (tentatively placed here) *''Rhadinaea'' *''Rhadinophanes'' (tentatively placed here) *''Sibon'' *''Sibynomorphus'' *''Synophis'' (tentatively placed here) *''Tachymenis'' (tentatively placed here) *''Taeniophallus'' (tentatively placed here) *''Tantalophis'' (tentatively placed here) *''Thamnodynastes'' (tentatively placed here) *''Tomodon'' (tentatively placed here) *''Tretanorhinus'' *''Trimetopon'' *''Tropidodipsas'' *''Urotheca'' *''Xenopholis'' (tentatively placed here) Subfamily Homalopsinae - about 10 genera Subfamily Natricinae - about 30 genera Subfamily Pareatinae - three genera Subfamily Psammophiinae *''Hemirhagerrhis'' *''Malpolon'' *''Mimophis'' *''Psammophis'' *''Psammophylax'' *''Rhamphiophis'' Subfamily Pseudoxenodontinae *''Plagiopholis'' *''Pseudoxenodon'' Subfamily Pseudoxyrhophiinae - about 20 genera Subfamily Xenodermatinae *''Achalinus'' *''Fimbrios'' *''Oxyrhabdium'' *''Stoliczkaia'' *''Xenodermus'' *''Xylophis'' Subfamily Xenodontinae - some 55-60 genera incertae sedis *''Blythia'' *''Cercaspis'' *''Cyclocorus'' *''Elapoidis'' *''Gongylosoma'' *''Haplocercus'' *''Helophis'' *''Myersophis'' *''Omoadiphas'' (recently discovered) *''Oreocalamus'' *''Poecilopholis'' *''Rhabdops'' *''Tetralepis'' *''Thermophis'' *''Trachischium'' References Category:Colubridae Category:Snakes